The Beautiful Letdown
by Crimson2006
Summary: A serious story about Cloud and Reno. Takes place shortly after Advent Children. Chapter 3 is up!
1. Chapter One

**Author's Note: **I'll be working on this story again. Sorry for the long delay. This story will contain Boy x Boy moments, have angst and dark/violent themes. Also, I call Aeris by her Japanese name: Aerith.

**Story Guide:**

_Italic-emphasis_

** '**_**Bold Italic'-past/flashback**_

_ '_thinking_'_

**Healin** – where Rufus stays (and where Shinra's 'new' base is located)

**Edge** – where 7th Heaven is located

**Midgar**- where the church is

**Fenrir**- The name of Cloud's bike

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own FF7/ FF7 Advent Children, or the characters; all rights belong to Square Enix. I make no money from writing this.

* * *

**The Beautiful Letdown **

Written By:Crimson2006

**:Chapter One:  
**

It wasn't that he had something better to do, because he didn't. But today Cloud was asking himself why it was, that he was standing outside in the cold, dismal weather, looking up at the Shinra building with a feeling of disgust. Well, he knew why he hated the building so much –though namely it was the people inside that irked him violently– but the bigger question was: why had he stopped to take a look at it—again. Granted that this wasn't the first time he'd caught himself gawking at the seventy-story building that was a collaboration of sleek shiny glass and titanium metal. Moreover, he found himself constantly going out of the way to see it which worried him quite a bit.

Threading his long, thin fingers through the disheveled mass of wind assaulted spikes that adorned his head; the twenty-three year old contemplated the source of his confusion. It was such a complicated feeling that twisted inside him, and yet the notions of it breed something stupid. He didn't have time to be here... albeit his as he gnawed tenderly on his lower lip, he knew that statement only breached so far.

Alright so maybe he didn't have anything better to do. He'd been putting off reanimating the delivery business; which of course he _did _feel bad about. He'd promised Tifa and the kids that he'd be around more and his actions weren't really living up to that. It wasn't like he didn't want to either, but ever since re-defeating Sephiroth he'd felt odd. It wasn't really guilt –or rather, any other emotion that he'd ever felt before. Its nature was more of a seemingly dismal undertone; like he was being pulled under into the depths of something much grander and defined, yet at the same time it constricted his airway so that he couldn't breathe. It flowed through his blood against his will, and it wasn't an embellishment either. He could actually feel the sensation clotting his blood, slowing the pace, making his heart beat to a rhythm that was foreign and unwanted. Cloud didn't like it. Not in the least. He didn't know what to do about it though.

Leaning the weight of his body to one foot then the other, he continued to contemplate the sensation, never letting his eyes leave the Shinra building. He was sure that they had something to do with it; though to what depths was questionable. After all, they had been messing around with Jenova's head. Rufus had claimed they were trying to destroy it, but if that was the case then someone should have let him in on the secret. Of course even if Cloud could go out on on a limb and give Shinra some value of doubt, all that resolve crumbled under one question: Why had Rufus chosen to hand that piece of Jenova over to Kadaj? Cloud knew that the president wasn't stupid and was perfectly capable of putting two and two together; yet he'd so willingly tossed the box off the building and practically condoned Sephiroth's revival. Something didn't add up, and he was sure it linked back to Shinra's old ways. Sure the company and its president had claimed to have changed. But old habits died hard, and Cloud was living testimony to such a statement.

'You can't fool a fool.' He thought bitterly; finally forcing himself to start walking again. Normally he would have had his bike with him but it was currently in the shop, thus walking would have to be tolerated.

Cloud was about half-way down the block and lost deep in thought –when a familiar voice shattered his muses.

"Hey ya, Cloud! What brings you out to our side of the woods?" The voice was spawned from the never ending source of infamous babbling—as known as the red-head Turk named Reno. Cloud just glared daggers at the man, before continuing on, as if he hadn't just been subjected to such an annoying question. Maybe if he kept on walking the other man would get the point and realize that he held no interest in a conversation. He hardly spoke with Tifa, so why in the hell would he want to speak with someone who was nothing more than a thorn in his side.

"Ah, don't be so cold man!" Reno called, pushing away from the wall he'd been leaning against. After just a few deep strides he'd caught up to the blonde; matching the other's pace in perfect step. "It was just a question; you don't have to act so offended."

'So much for subtle hints,' Cloud scowled; shifting his blue Mako eyes to look hatefully at the other. "Don't you have something better to do?"

Reno let his own orbs skim the blonde quickly, a small goofy smile plastered on his lips. "Aw, you can speak and here I though that you didn't like me?"

"I don't" Cloud snorted, leading his feet to a halting command. "I was serious though; don't you have somewhere else you should be?"

Reno scratched his head, looking around at nothing in particular, until he cleared his voice. "Um, I could ask you the same thing? No package, no bike and this isn't exactly your neck of the woods…"

Cloud stiffened at being called out, but quickly and calmly reminded himself that Reno had no clue as to what he was purposing. Still, the young man didn't know what exactly he could say to counter that measure without sounding like an idiot.

'Oh that's right Reno, I just came down here to stare at the Shinra building and brood a bit. No other reason in particular.' God, he sounded so lame relaying that message mentally. Reno was sure to point that out too. The red-head might have come off as stupid, but that didn't make him dumb. Deeming that this conversation was over, the blonde gave a sigh and shook his head, feet moving to accommodate his new goal to leave.

With much satisfaction, Cloud was happy when the Turks member didn't follow, though subconsciously he realized that he was making a loop and that if he kept on walking he'd be finding himself back at the Shinra building again.

'Damn it' he hissed, the flaps of his cloak twisting wildly in the wind as he randomly turned down a side road. He had a feeling that it was going to be one of those days.

**...**

One of _those _days, didn't even begin to describe it. Once he got back to 7th Heaven there was twice as much paperwork than when he left –though he was unsure of how that was even possible. That was added to the fact that Tifa had practically mugged him at the door; insisting that he fix the downstairs bathroom, seeing as some pissed off customer sought to get his revenge the night before by clogging up the toilet. Marlene was bothering him about going to the park and Denzel wanted some advice on girls. Cloud had nearly spit out the contents of his coffee mug when the boy had asked the famous, 'what's a French kiss and how do you do it' question. In which the blonde had immediately turned the child to Tifa, who just scoffed at Cloud's lousy parenting skills.

All said and done, Cloud spent most of the day locked up in the office, pretending to get something done but not really accomplishing anything at all. It was unnerving to say the least, but his mind kept drifting to Shinra, Sephiroth and the events of six months ago. Around noon those vexing inquires had drove a little deeper and he found himself pacing the floors. Normally he would have pawned it off on nerves or cabin fever, but the twenty-three year old new better then that. He'd been edgy for quite sometime now and it just seemed to be getting worse. It was like claustrophobia with a demented twist of anxiety. He wanted to go out, but at the same time he wanted to avoid people.

At first it hadn't been that bad—that he'd saved the world. People praised his work and his name was well known; but he could still go to the store without having a horde of fan girls stalking him or some nut case nagging him the whole way, snooping for every ounce of ground that Cloud was willing to give –which most cases was none. But now days; now that he'd saved the world again. Those events happened on a daily bases. He couldn't go down the street without being questioned at the concession stand. And when he went to run errands for Tifa, everyone would slow him down –get in the way, and all of those damn people wanted to know the same fucking thing! _**'How did it feel to kill Sephiroth? How does it feel to be a hero?'**_ Cloud detested those two simply drawn questions more then anything. He wanted to scream at them that he wasn't a hero and that it felt horrible to kill the former SOLDIER member, not once, but twice! That each and every night he was haunted by terrible nightmares –reliving the moment over and over again until he thought that he'd go mad.

_**'I'll never be a memory…' **_

God, that arrogant-assholes statement irked him to no ends. It whispered it's breath in his ear and chanted the five words in a promising fashion. Each and every time his dream ended with Sephiroth saying that to him. And each and every time he woke up, he found himself believing it a little more.

Looking over to the clock on the wall, Cloud took note that it was a little after four. Tifa would be opening the bar in a few hours and then she'd no doubt want him to help out if he was still around. Begrudgingly he remembered that his motorcycle was in the shop and that just seemed to make him even more desperate to be free.

"Damn it" he grounded out, this time verbally. Taking heed he bustled down the stairwell and into the vast area that served as the bar. Not seeing Tifa, the blonde gave a silent blessing and slipped out of the front door. Instantly he regretted it but forced his feet to move anyway. He could already hear the whispers from across the way and see the different questions lingering between the folds of each and very face. The woman smiling at him was probably wondering what it would be like to date the man who saved the world. And the old man that was leaning against the wall, a loose beer clutched between dirty, calloused, fingers was thinking that he could have saved the world if Sephiroth would have acted out about twenty years sooner. They were all looking and judging the person who they thought he was, rather then the person who he really was. Though in a way he couldn't blame them, after all, he didn't even know who he really was. That issue was one that he'd never bothered to full solve.

Trying to ignore the stares, Cloud slipped into a side alleyway. Sticking to the back roads helped out a lot; but more often then not he still came across a few, straggling fans. Still, it was a risk that seemed more palpable then his other choices at the other moment and he'd take his chances with it.

After a good hour or so the blonde found himself, once gain, at the mercy of the Shinra building. It confused him as to why he was being drawn there, and was even more flustering to know that the sensation seemed to grow stronger with each passing day. It was both confusing and ironic, because it seemed that Zack's memories weren't the only thing fucking with his mind theses days. Was there anything that Cloud could be sure of when it came to himself –something that he could solely say was solid in both past and present tense and actually feel like it was true? Sadly the answer seemed to be, no.

"Hey babe; twice in the same day? You must really love us."

Cloud grimaced at the other's voice. He'd forgotten all about the red-head lurking about. It made him wonder what Shinra was paying the Turk for. He clearly wasn't doing anything useful.

"So you going to go in and apply for a position? I'm sure with skillful hands like yours; Rufus can think of something for you to do. "

The blonde snorted, completely ignoring Reno's suggestive tone," I'm not here for occupational reasons." As soon as the words left his mouth, he was regretting them. What in the seven hells had made him say that? Although it didn't seem very detrimental, such heedless spun words could prove to be damaging. In the back of Cloud's mind, he was hoping that Reno just wouldn't get it. But fate refused to be that lenient, and ironically Cloud realized that it never had.

"So it's _not_ a business trip after all! Pleasure, then? "The Turk snickered, that coyness multiplying when the other scowled." So what, does looking at the Shinra building get you hard or something, Cloud?" The last line was clearly intended to represent sarcasm; but the blonde detested it nonetheless. Suddenly, the sound of gravel grinded beneath his turned boots as Cloud sought to leave and Reno perked his head up. "Oi, Cloud, it was a joke babe! Where you going?"

"Away from you," he hissed silently; though Reno must have heard it because the older man gave chase.

"Strife, come back, yo! I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings."

'Funny, you don't sound sorry.' The blonde seethed mentally. 'More like pissy, because I'm leaving…' Momentarily that thought hung in the air, before he dismissed Reno's actions as being nothing more then those of a bored Turk. In the past the red-head had always been fidgety and it was clear he was victim of that.

"Alright, maybe I'm not sorry. But let me at least buy you a drink."

"One ruse after another, eh?" Cloud bit out sourly. "I don't have time for your games."

"First off, I'm not playing with you. Secondly, if you ask me; you seem to have a lot of time on your hands…" The red-head replied. Cloud had been expecting some sort of cynicism to been laced in there, but for once Reno seemed genuinely compassionate. It was odd, or maybe not so much odd as it was unnerving. Cloud hated pity.

"I didn't ask for your opinion and I don't want you pathetic sympathy-" Before the blond could continue the rant, a gaunt hand wrapped around his arm and pulled slightly. Wanting to or not, Cloud found that his feet had stopped moving; his blue eyes locked onto Reno's.

"It ain't like that, yo. Rufus is making me stay in Healin and I thought, well… you looked kind of lonely standing there in front of the Shinra building…" Reno's words tapered for a moment, as if he was trying to make sure he didn't sound sympathetic. Cloud watched as the azure orbs churned like a violent storm and for a brief moment something familiar flashed within those murky depths. As soon as it rose though, it was already fading. It was at that moment Reno choose to reanimate himself. "It'll just be a few drinks. One guy hanging with another; come on Cloud, it ain't like there's anything else to do around here."

"Why don't you just go by yourself if it's that boring?"

"I don't wanna be by myself."

Cloud watched the words tumble from the other's lips and felt a tinge of jealousy slide into his gut. Reno was so open; unafraid. Cloud felt envy and maybe resentment towards the Turk because of that; but he didn't let it show. Against all better judgment, he gave his assent in the form of an exasperated sigh and a halfhearted nod.

Reno's smiled wider then Cloud deemed possible and the red-head let his words twist out devilishly. "Alright babe, let's go have some fun."

Cloud swallowed hard and realized that his day had just gone from bad to worse. He was definitely going to need a stiff drink or two to get through the rest of it.

TBC


	2. Chapter Two

**Author's Note: **So this is chapter two, went through and fixed a few mistakes and tried to make the flow more consistent. Hope you all enjoy it. Thanks to everyone who reads and or reviews. I love hearing what you guys have to say.

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own FF7/ FF7 Advent Children, or the characters; all rights belong to Square Enix. I make no money from writing this.

* * *

**The Beautiful Letdown**

Written By: Crimson2006

**:Chapter Two: **

Whoever said that Mako poisoning made you null to alcohol, obviously forgot to factor in that the intoxicating substance slowed down ones reflexes –so that if you pushed enough drinks back fast enough, it would be quite sometime before the body flushed the toxin out. Surprisingly, Cloud had already known this, having gotten drunk on several past occasions. Thus he heedlessly knocked back his ninth shot as if it were his first; clearly intent on getting wasted.

Reno had taken them to a shabby little place that Cloud had never heard of. Quite frankly the blonde had expected the bar to be flamboyant and full of rowdy people, yet the atmosphere around them was rather quite and serene. There did come some realization that it was only a quarter to seven and it was a weekday; so maybe the place was normally unruly under other circumstances. Still, it didn't matter much now, seeing as there were only a handful of stragglers lacing the counter and tables. Cloud appreciated the silence.

"I take it you approve?" Reno slurred slightly, placing the nursed rum bottle alongside the five empty beer bottles that had been downed when they'd first arrived.

Cloud waved the waitress over and then looked at the man who sat across from him. "So what you choose this place for me? I didn't realize this was a date or I would have fixed my hair."

Reno chuckled. "Was that a joke, Strife? Fucking shit, it was, wasn't it! I didn't think that you had it in you."

Cloud watched Reno laugh and a bitter feeling washed over him. "Why, because you think I'm just another one of Sephiroth's clones? Do you think that because he didn't feel anything, that I can't?" The words were pressed out rather coldly and he regretted saying them in such a way when Reno's visage looked genuinely hurt; though that expression turned more to pissed as the seconds rolled on. The waitress came by, dropped of another round of drinks and then quickly left, the TV in the background broadcasted some sort of sports game and an old man in the corner sneezed –but neither male had yet to say another word. Growing tired of looking at Reno, Cloud purposely broke the gaze and reached out for another shot. Reno's hand caught him mid-act.

"I never said that." His words clear, so that they betrayed how drunk he really was. "I'm a Turk, I know your history; but I could careless. It's the past, we all have one, no big deal. You're just as human as I am… maybe a little more." With that Reno released his grip; pale hands slipping around the neck of his rum bottle as he raised it to his lips and washed more of it down.

Cloud couldn't think of anything to say to that, so he lifted up another shot and indulged himself as well. He'd never pegged Reno to answer something like that so seriously –though the longer he mused over it, the more it seemed to make sense. The red-head wasn't the type of person to judge you; he just let you be yourself, even if you happened to be a former SOLDIER member who had fractional memories and a long list of personal issues. To Reno, he was simply another person. The notion made Cloud smile slightly. Lazily, his eyes drifted up from their most frequent location –the table– becoming rather surprised to see that Reno was watching him intently.

"You should smile more, Strife. You wear it well."

"Hum, too dangerous. I might give someone a heart attack. Besides then they'll expect me to do it all the time," He spoke lightly. The alcohol was really starting to get to him; normally he wasn't this open and consequentially he wondered what the downfall was going to be like. After all, alcohol was a depressant.

"Yeah, you've already made my heart stop a few times this evening."

Cloud outwardly rolled his eyes and brushed off the drunken man's flirtatious remark as being nothing more then just another mannerism belonging to Reno.

...

For the rest of the evening the pair shared company in ease, passing words every now and again, but not really holding onto one topic too seriously. There were a few times that Cloud found himself getting depressed, but Reno always seemed to take notice of it and cheered him back up before he fell too low. It was nice in a way, though creepy all the same—that Reno knew just what to say and when to say it. It made the blonde think that maybe the Turk had a few secrets of his own, but he didn't feel the need to pry because Reno wasn't pushing the typically subjects on him. There was nothing about Sephiroth, first battle or last. No mentions of being a famous hero or how it changed it life. The conversation seemed mostly one sided in that aspect. Reno did most of the talking between the moments of silence, and Cloud found himself oddly disturbed at how little he'd known about the Turk, or how much he agreed with the man.

Apparently the red-head was an animal lover, having two cats and a guinea pig, to which the latter of the three was named, Rufus, after his boss, and the former two were named Jack and Daniels. Cloud didn't need to guess why. Reno also enjoyed reading; said it was a forced habit after getting stuck on long missions with nothing to do, though by the elders tone, Cloud could tell that some of the Turk secretly enjoyed it. The red-head also claimed to be a wonderful cook, and a fan of classic movies, but what really shocked Cloud was that Reno could sing. Not trying to sound good while singing in the shower or I think I'm idol material so I'm going to make an ass out of myself type of wannabe talent –but rather a honest to goodness real, hard core, perfectly gifted, sort of singing.

"Rufus found out about it at a Christmas party one year when I got wasted, the bastard never let me live it down. Still makes me sing all the time… like I'm some sort of fuckin jukebox or something…"Reno trailed off when he realized he was rambling." So how about you Strife, can you sing?"

Cloud shook his head, but seemed lost in the question. After a long pause the former SOLDIER's answer came out as a stifled mummer. "Singing reminds me of Aerith…"

The Turk shifted uncomfortably in his chair, knowing that he was treading in deep water if he chose to extend the length of the conversation. Part of him knew it wasn't a good idea. Cloud always got sentimental when it came to the girl, and Reno could already see the thin trail of guilt stirring in those infused blue eyes. The other half however made him open his mouth. Sitting around moping about the past was unhealthy. Cloud may have saved the world twice, but he was still living in the one that Sephiroth had sought to destroy and with that fading image he was dying. "She was a sweet girl."

"You didn't know her." Cloud quickly retorted, his voice defensive and edgy. There was an utter amount of distain in the very thought that Reno would even consider himself privileged enough to have _really _known Aerith.

"Didn't have to, her altruism said it all." The anger washed away and Reno watched Cloud's face go slack with pain. "But hey, change of topic. How we gettin home?"

Cloud frowned, not really wanting the thoughts of Aerith to leave him. He deserved the pain and torment that haunted him, he'd let her die. Even if she had been willing to save the world at the cost of her life, even if she knew the consequences to what she was so determined to do –he still felt bad for not being able to save her. A tremor of ice swept up his spine and he forced himself to think about the question that Reno had asked him.

Shuffling those dismal thoughts into the depths of his mind, Cloud realized that Edge was quite a ways off and without Fenrir it would be a long walk back, especially in his current state. There was always the option of calling a taxi, but they were rather high priced, and right now, seeing as he hadn't exactly got the delivery business up and running, he was a tad bit short in the Gil department. "Didn't really think that one through…"

Reno took another swig and nodded in agreement. "Well, I'd call Rude but seein as it's one in the morning, he'd be more then pissed."

"Rude gets mad?" Cloud asked absentmindedly, tapping his beer bottle dry and adding it to his own glass collection that was twice as vast as Reno's. By now his guilt had retreated slightly and he was musing over what Rude would look like if he lost his cool. It was hard to imagine… but _very_ entertaining.

"Yeah, it's _not_ a pretty sight, yo!"

Cloud laughed; Reno's expression was priceless. It wasn't a false halfhearted laugh either, but a chores of sound that seemed to ignite the room with a breathtaking display of who Cloud might really be behind that stoic face and those sad, lonely eyes.

Reno felt himself stir with arousal, but quickly composed himself. He'd always admired Cloud for being sexy, and now that the man was sitting across from him, laughing, it was a _huge_ turn on. Cloud looked too damn good for his own good. "My place isn't far, you could stay with me. It's a bit of a walk uphill, but between the two of us we might make it." He wasn't expecting much, even if he did manage to get Cloud up to his apartment there was still way too much negative energy between them to lead anywhere good. The red-head resisted the urge to lick his lips, but wouldn't it be nice to have that fine piece of ass moaning under him, arching, screaming, and begging to be-

"I guess I don't have much of a choice; can't just leave you here and I'm not up to walking back home. I'll need to call Tifa though."

Cloud's silky voice threw him off track, and for a moment Reno was wondering what the blonde was talking about. "Err…um, what?"

"I said I'll crash with you." Cloud's voice slightly annoyed at having to repeat him self. "But I'll need to use your phone to call Tifa; she'll worry if I'm not home come morning."

'I'd like to make you cum all morning,' Reno mentally smirked, but was drawn out of another fantasy when Cloud smacked him upside the head. "Hey!"

"Phone. Reno?"

"Oh, yeah. My bad…" He explained, shuffling through the pockets of his disheveled suit. That damn phone had to been there somewhere. After a few minutes he finally found it lying on the floor beside the chair; apparently it had slipped out at some point. Reno thanked whatever god was watching because he did NOT want to have to deal with a pissed off Rufus for losing company property, again. The last time it had happened his pay check had suffered the default and that had put quite a pinch on his social life. Reno had admitted to himself long ago that he drank way too much for his own good, but that didn't stop him from indulging in the substance. He also figured that he should cut back on smoking as well, but that didn't seem likely to happen unless he had no other choice. Of course being short on cash was one of those vexing predicaments.

Sliding the black, compact phone across the table –and nearly off it– he pushed the cell towards Cloud. "Go ahead and do your thing, yo."

Punching the familiar number the blonde phoned 7th Heaven. Normally Cloud would have had his own phone on him, but seeing as he hadn't wanted to be bothered earlier; the said item had been left on his desk in the office. He seriously hoped that Tifa hadn't tried calling him or he might have to deal with one angry woman when she picked up.

"7th Heaven a little slice of paradise, this is Tifa speaking, how many I help you?" The sweet notes carried over the phone and Cloud once again felt guilty in so many lights. He was a horrible friend and even worse companion. He'd known for a long time that Tifa loved him; that she wanted more out of their relationship then what he'd been giving her. Of course, part of him loved her as well –was thankful that the girl who sat under the stars with him all those years ago when he made that promise, was still his best friend. Equal to that was the other half, which cared her for well-being –the person that she was; a kind, considerate woman who was like a big sister or a mother to him. Yet in-between those two humble emotions was a rift of something darker. Cloud would never say that he hated Tifa, but he did feel a grudge towards her for holding the former promise over his head. And a small part of him despised her for that reason; because what she was asking from him was something that he couldn't give. He saw the pain in her eyes, he knew that she wanted him to return some kind of emotion, wanted his hands to touch her in intimate places and his lips to claim every ounce of her soft, milky flesh –but he couldn't do it. As a result, Cloud's hate towards himself spawned deeper.

"Look, if someone doesn't say something I'm going to hang up," She growled over the phone which actually made Cloud smirk slightly.

"Sorry Tifa, it's me. I was just lost in thought."

"Cloud? Are you okay, you sound… strained."

Did he? He hadn't really noticed. "No, I'm fine. I'm in Healin, at a bar with Reno." He was reluctant to disclose that part, though he didn't know why."We're both pretty wasted, so I think I'll just crash at his place tonight."

The other side of the line grew uneasily silent. In the background he could hear a small dispute, but nothing that sounded too dangerous. After a few more second Tifa's voice reverberated through the phone. "I can close up and come get you, if you want."

Cloud frowned. "No, that's alright. You sound busy and I'd feel bad if you lost business because of me. Besides, Reno doesn't mind. I doubt that he could make it back by himself anyway."

Tifa just hummed and didn't sound convinced. She wanted to ask Cloud what was wrong. Implore why he was in Healin and why the hell he was drunk with Reno, but she didn't. Instead the woman bit her tongue and swallowed her nerves and tried to come off a little less conspicuous. "Are you sure it's safe, I mean Reno is a Turk."

Cloud gave a light laugh and surprised the girl. "He's also wasted. But even if he wasn't, I don't think he'd try anything."

Reno arched a brow, this conversation was taking too long, plus he didn't like being talked about as if he wasn't there. Reaching over with his usual tactless grace, the Turk snagged the phone from Cloud with agitation. "Lookie here mamma; I'll play nice as long as Cloud does and whenever our hangover's wear off, I'll bring him back to you in one piece. I promise." Without waiting for a response, he flipped the phone shut and permanently severed the conversation. "I swear, how can you stand that woman?" He quipped drunkenly, flinging a wade of cash on the table and trying to stand up; succeeding to do the latter of the two horribly. "...She's much too loud for my tastes."

"Hum, with the way you're always flirting with me, I didn't think you liked women." Cloud replied, helping the red-head to his feet and swaying slightly himself. Cloud wasn't sure why he'd said that, but he was curious to the way the other always responded. Was the flirting just a game to Reno?A subconscious thing that rolled off his mind just as easily as he protruded the word _babe_ from his lips? The blonde wasn't really fond of the nickname, but he'd been called a lot worst in the past. Still, it had his mind buzzing with questions; ones that he wasn't sure he wanted the answers to.

"Ah, so you do take notice. I figured you just didn't like me or that you were being dense," Reno started but gasped unexpectedly when Cloud slid his arm way, and with it the firm support that was keeping him balanced. He was sure the blonde was going to let him fall, but before he could hit the floor, those warm arms were keeping him upright once more.

Reno resisted the urge to smirk, he rather liked seeing Cloud drunk, or buzzed –he really couldn't tell which, nor did he care– because the normal stoic mask that the other wore was substantially lax. Cloud was almost playful too. The Turks mind wrapped around that concept, knowing that he could think up a few games for them to engage in; but as his vision splotched he thought better of himself, instead brushing the act off with mock criticism. "Kidding… damn Strife, you need to chill out, yo!"

Cloud simply shook his head with a laugh and helped Reno out the door. Despite his earlier assessment of the elder, he realized that maybe the Turk wasn't so bad. Though, he supposed that only time would tell.

TBC


	3. Chapter Three

**Author's Note: **I still don't like this chapter, but it's up. Everything posted after this will be new. I'll update as I can.

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own FF7/ FF7 Advent Children, or the characters; all rights belong to Square Enix. I make no money from writing this.

* * *

**The Beautiful Letdown**

Written By: Crimson2006

**:Chapter Three:**

As fate would have it, the two men were about half way to Reno's place when it started to rain. It wasn't just a simple spring shower either –not like the weather that was frequent for that time of year – but rather, a full blown downpour that put even a winter storm to shame. And as one would presumably speculate, by the time they did reach the shabby looking apartment that the Turk deemed as his home, they were both soaked to the bone, teeth chattering and bodies shivering as Reno desperately tried to locate his house key.

Leaning up against the wall Cloud closed his eyes and listened to the sound of the rain as it resonated down the long, vast hallway. The jingling of Reno's keys –metal against metal– barely auditable over the storms thunderous wrath. The Turk must have had two dozen or so keys attached to that little hook and Cloud absentmindedly wondered what they were all for: one for his house, one for his bike, maybe a couple for Shinra, but as for the rest of them; who knew. Then again, there was a lot about Reno that Cloud didn't know of or understand. Sure they had crossed paths in the past, both as allies and enemies –and tonight they had talked as something akin to friends. But he still didn't know very much about the said man.

Strangely and rather surprisingly, the blonde found himself unsatisfied by that development, as he was actually quite curious to know more about Reno. Though for what reason; he couldn't say for sure.

'It must be the rain,' he mused dryly. He was always more sentimental during this kind of weather, probably because it reminded him of Aerith.

Suddenly Cloud shifted his weight from one foot to the other; the mere thought of the dead woman settling upon him in a rather uncomfortable fashion. Things were always so complicated when in came to the Ancient. Though Cloud supposed that it was more his fault then hers. She had given him so much to be thankful for, yet at the same time that happiness had come with a price. He had loved her so much, only to watch her slip through his fingers. It didn't seem right. And what made matters worse was that people didn't even give her altruism proper recognition. If you were to ask someone who killed Sephiroth; then the immediate response would be: Cloud Strife. But that was the wrong answer. If it hadn't been for Aerith then he wouldn't have been allotted the opportunity which he had. And then really, what had he done? Picked up a sword and fought? Anyone was capable of that. But what Aerith had delivered was beyond the call-of-duty. She had given up her life up, and that was by far a greater act of heroism then what he had done.

"Babe...?" Reno slurred, breaking the blonde's concentration as he waved a fat clump of keys in front of the other man's face. "Can't find the right one..."

Cloud shook his head and snatched the offered item, slightly thankful for the interruption. It was weird because even if Reno hadn't meant to do it, he'd yet again stopped Cloud from falling into one of those hellish pits of depression that the blonde was notorious for sinking into.

Fumbling with the keys, the younger man quickly went to work on the assigned task. Surprisingly, it only took him seven tries to find the right one and when he opened the Turks apartment, he was shocked by what he saw. First off, the outside of the building did little to justify the inside. The walls were painted a soft egg white and from the front door you had a perfect view of a spacious living room, dining room and kitchen. Secondly, the place was spotless, which was a surprise given the Turk's disheveled manner.

From what the blonde could tell, Reno seemed to have a decent amount of furniture scattered about the place; nothing overly flamboyant, but the pieces certainly weren't broken-down either. Soft, silk curtains lined the back door and were slightly parted to expose a patio that was filled with various types of plants. That same display was continued in the kitchen with several herbs residing on the windowsill above the sink and a large wild looking plant was perched atop of the refrigerator, the long vines twisting down the side. Most of the walls were bare, but in the hallway there were a few select pictures near the door. One was of Reno at a Shinra outing, while the two beside it were of Rufus and Rude standing in front of 'The Golden Saucer'. The last one however, was of a little girl that Cloud didn't recognize.

"Are you gonna go in, yo? 'Cause I'm freezing my balls off out here."

Cloud tipped his head in a silent apology and stepped inside, Reno following right behind. Once they were standing midway in the living room, Cloud took another look around and was surprised to see another picture of the aforementioned girl atop of the entertainment center. Curiosity wasn't really a factor that took flight very often in the blonde, but when it did, it would bother him to no ends and for some reason or another, he couldn't help but wonder who the girl was. Maybe it was just the fact that her picture seemed so out of place among everything. But then again, so did the abundant number of house plants. He would have never pegged Reno for having a green thumb.

Stubbornly, the blonde shook his head; he shouldn't really care about house plants or who that little girl was, or even why Reno had more then one picture of her in the house. But for some odd reason he couldn't let it go. Perhaps it had something to do with the rain and the fact that he was thinking about Aerith again… that, and all the alcohol that he'd downed earlier. Giving a mental sigh, Cloud deemed that it was probably just better to ask the Turk about it and get it over with. Then the nagging voice in his head would go away and he could go back to being the reclusive, anti-social bastard that he usually was.

"Hey Reno, whose the little girl?" He asked, gesturing a hand to the picture in the living room.

Reno, who had his back to the other man, pealed his wet jacket off slowly. After a minute, in a voice so low that Cloud almost didn't catch it, the red-head answered, "That's my daughter."

"Your... oh..." Well, he really didn't know what to say to that.

Suddenly the air in the room seemed too thick.

"You should take your clothes off before you get sick yo; I'm sure that I can find something around here that will fit you." As if choosing to swallow his own advice, the Turk next pulled of the white dress shirt adorning his gaunt form and turned around. For a moment neither man said anything. They simply stood in silence, as if contemplating some unknown mystery. Cloud watched the steady rise and fall of Reno's bare chest, the way his stomach muscles rippled at every breath and how smooth and pale the man's skin looked under the soft lighting.

"She would have been six this year... you know." There was a strange expression lingering over the other's features; one that Cloud wouldn't have normally associated the Turk with. It seemed sad, distant and almost guilty. Reno shook his head and turned away, moving to throw his wet things in the laundry room." Bathroom's done the hall. I'll leave the clothes outside the door if you want to shower."

Cloud just nodded his thanks, before watching the Turk disappear from sight. He felt kind of bad for bringing the issue up. Of course he had no idea that the little girl was no longer with them, still… if he'd just minded his own business things would have been better. The topic had obviously made the red-head uncomfortable, and in a way Cloud could sympathize with that feeling. He always hated it when other people brought up Aerith. Even if they were only speaking casually, it was hard for him to deal with it. He already knew that she was a wonderful person, that she'd made the ultimate sacrifice to save them all –he didn't need anyone to remind him of that. It was just like pouring salt on open wounds. It stung like a bitch.

Realizing that he was still standing in the same spot that Reno had left him, dripping water all over the nice clean hardwood floor, his mind kicked back into gear with a chill. Pulling off his boots and socks the blonde leisurely padded down the hall. Over the years he'd become accustom to the cold, but right now he felt like a frozen Popsicle. His hands and toes were numb, his chest felt constricted and if the ringing in his ears was any indication of things to come, then he didn't want to think about how he was going to feel tomorrow morning. Reno was probably right. He was going to get sick.

Many people just assumed that the Mako in his body prevented things like that from happening, but that was again, a misunderstanding. It was true that his resistance towards infections was a lot stronger then the average person, but it was still possibly for him to catch something as simple as a common cold.

'Oh great,' he thought bitterly. 'Just wait until Tifa finds out I was stuck out in the rain. I'll really get an ear full then.' He already knew that he was going to get chewed out for what Reno did. Not to mention that she didn't at all seem happy with the prospect of him spending time alone with the Turk. It was strange in a way. That he'd given her so much of his time willingly, yet she was always asking for more. Cloud supposed that you just couldn't please some people not matter what you did.

...

**The next day**

Reno's feet slowed to a crawl as he reached the tall, white building that resided on Fifth and Mayer in the downtown district. It was an old rustic place that looked like it had seen its share of years; then again, most places in around this part of town did. Looking up, he wondered momentarily what was going through Clouds mind when he was looking up at the new Shinra building. Was he thinking about how much he hated the place? Was he plotting Shinra's demise? That last thought made Reno laugh. Cloud didn't go around looking for trouble, it was usually the other way around, and the blonde typically didn't want to be a part of what ever shit was currently being flung his way.

Shaking his head, Reno recalled the conversation –or lack of one– that he had earlier that morning with the blonde. In amends to his word he'd offered to give the former SOLDIER a ride home on his bike, but Cloud had kindly declined, and surprisingly, asked if he could stay a little longer. Despite their rocky past, Reno didn't have a problem with leaving the guy at his house with an extra set of keys. He could always pick up the spare later on, or maybe, if he was lucky, Cloud might come back in person to return them.

Deciding that spending all day thinking about Cloud was going to get him in a shit load of trouble –curtsey of Rufus– he pushed his personal thoughts aside and sauntered up to the front door of the hospital. He really hoped that his boss was feeling better.

After a short ride in an elevator that sounded like it was going to fall apart at any given moment –Reno made a quick mental note to take the stairs next time– he headed towards the ICU unit. Maneuvering between the staff, the red-head didn't bother to sign before he stopped short in front of a very familiar window. For a moment he watched his boss sleep peacefully, wondering why shit always had to go down this way and how life was so unfair.

It wasn't Geostigma, at least not directly. But the doctors did admit that some of the cell samples were _similar_ so that maybe, overtime, it could become that awful disease one again. Rufus wasn't the only case either. There were three from across the sea and another two on homeland. It seemed that a majority of the people who had previously been infected with Geostigma weren't being subjected to the second virus, but there were a few who were, so their suffering was extended further.

"Hey, how's he doing today?" The red-head questioned when he saw Tseng round the corner.

The stoic Turk gave Reno one look over and wrinkled his nose. "Had you been here on time, then you would have been able to see for yourself."

'Ouch' Reno winced. "Err… sorry." He mumbled, scratching the back of his head. It was probably a good thing that Cloud hadn't wanted a ride home that morning, because his beloved piece-of-shit bike, had refused to start; thus making him over an hour late for work. "So it's that bad, huh?"

"He was hooked up to the respirator for most of the night, but he demanded that it be turned off when he woke up: else everyone would be facing a foot up their ass and a major cut in pay, as Rufus so kindly put it."

Reno smiled. That sounded like his boss alright, a fighter all the way. The poor man had already suffered through so much; it just didn't seem fair that he had to endure even more pain. "Can I go in and see him?"

Tseng sighed deeply as if he was trying to weigh the scales on some life-threatening topic. He knew that Reno wouldn't cause any damage here, but he also knew that their boss needed his rest. "I suppose, if you must. He did order that you be sent in to see him upon arrival; whether he was sleeping or not. However, I'd prefer if you waited."

The red-head shrugged his shoulders as he ambled over to the waiting area. "Whatever's best for Rufus, yo. I don't mind waiting." He spoke as he plopped down in a chair and picked up an old outdated magazine that was printed back in the days when Sephiroth was still stalking the planet on his own two feet. Across the front page was a picture of dark skies and the words: **'The end of the world is at hand' **were printed it big, bold font. Reno rolled his eyes before flopping the magazine back onto the table. He'd only read that issue five or six times and it was getting to be monotonous. Bored, he shuffled his feet for a bit, picked at his nails and the then stared at the ceiling, taking note of all the cracks in the foundation. A good five minutes later, he was near comatose from the lack of entertainment.

Okay maybe he had lied. He hated waiting. Standing erect, Reno decided he might as well go harass the nurses; and maybe score himself a date in the process.

...

It wasn't until after lunch that Rufus woke up; none to happy that his orders had been ignored again. Even if his Turks were trying to help, he still found it unsatisfying that they babied him in such a way. He was a grown man after all. An important figure who was trying to salvage what he could from his old company and rebuild a new one. But he was also sick. Very sick, and facing a limited number of days. Perhaps he wouldn't even be alive to see the first snowfall of that year. But he refused to think of things like that, pondering all the world's 'what if's' would accomplish very little in the time he had left.

Although Tseng refused to mention anything on the matter, Reno had informed him that two out of five people infected with the disease had already passed away. In a way he could understand that his people were only looking out for him, but the rest of him didn't want that help. More then anything Rufus wanted to be strong. Ever since Weapon's attack on the Shinra building, he'd been forced to rely on others for the simplest of things. He was tried of it now, so fucking tired of being weak and broken.

"Hey, boss."

Rufus looked over to the door, noting that Reno seemed a little reluctant to step inside. 'He must have heard the argument between me and Tseng,' the president mused before giving the red-head a weak smile. "It's okay Reno, I promise not to go off on you." In was very rare that he found himself mad at the rowdy Turk. Reno just had a natural charm to him that made Rufus feel safe and loved. He'd always been thankful for what the man did –the first Turk on the scene after the attack and the only one that after five days of searching, that had refused to give it. It had paid off too, seeing as it was Reno who'd found him amid that endless expanse of rubble in the darkest part of night; hands bloodied from digging through metal and glass, face covered in dirt and sweat—a testimony to how hard he'd been looking.

Likewise it had been Reno who'd sat by his side everyday in the hospital; waited all those long hours, pacing the floors and driving the doctor's crazy waiting for him to wake up. It was that crazy, red-headed Turk that caused so much damn trouble and was often more destructive then helpful; who meant the most to Rufus Shinra. No. He could never truly be mad at Reno. Not when that man had already given him so much, it would be selfish of Rufus to hold such a petty emotion towards the other. And more then anything, Rufus wanted to prove that he was not his father's son.

"Err… Sorry about before." Reno laughed. "I thought you needed your rest."

"How very loyal of you NOT to rat out your team members, but I already know that it was Tseng who issued the order. He seems to think that he knows what's best for me," Rufus paused to cough a few time. After which, he struggled to cleared his throat. "And perhaps he does. Anyway, enough about that, I'd like you to get to the report."

Reno gave a sturdy nod. "Well, none of the people on the first list you gave me reported any strange symptoms after their Geostigma went away. I followed all of them around for a week and that standard seemed to hold up. "

"What about the second list."

"A little more informative, but not much help. Three of the people on that list were already dead. The cause of death in two of those cases was classified as unknown. The last one was old age. Everyone that I interviewed on the first page reported no strange changes. But there was a little boy; number twenty seven, Matt Shino I believe… he's been sick a lot. No sure tell symptoms that it's what you have but I've been checking back every few days just to make sure. I've also advised the family to seek medical attention immediately if he starts coughing up blood."

Rufus nodded. Although there were a vast range of symptoms that were present in the six, known, infected member's, coughing up blood always seemed to be the most prominent feature. "What about _him,_" the older man implored, his voice stressing the one note as a clear indication as to whom he was referring to.

Reno shuffled his feet and scratched the back of his head. In addition to the first two pages of the second list, there had been a third sheet listing a few names that were for observation only. One of those was none other then Cloud Strife, and _that _was the '_him'_ to which his boss was referring too. "I followed him for a few days, and other then wandering around aimlessly and staring at the new Shinra building, he seems alright."

The president raised a brow at the latter statement, but didn't ask for a further explanation. He knew that Cloud had rather…odd mannerisms. It was just how the boy was. "I see. "

A thick silence seemed to coat the room and Reno took that as his cue to leave. Placing a small manila-folder on the nightstand, he bowed his head slightly and went to leave. He was almost out the door when Rufus called him back. Turning around, Reno's blue Mako enhanced eyes looked towards his boss with question.

"I need you to me a favor."

Those words seemed to spark something in Reno's eyes and a grin quickly befell his features. Smoothly, he slide across the room and leaned over so that Rufus could whisper in his ear. Whenever the words **'I need you to do me a favor'** rolled off the president's lips, it meant that the information exchanged was to stay strictly between the two of them.

Rufus resisted the urge to be roused at their sudden proximity; he could smell the faint aroma of cedar wood and warm spice drifting from the Turks neck and it made him feel relaxed and calm. He was truly glad that Reno wasn't the type of person who was big on respecting other people's personal space; otherwise he wouldn't have been allotted an opportunity such as this. Leaning in slightly he place his lips right next to the Turk's ear and whispered softly. "I want you to get me a cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate shake. If I have to eat anymore of this cardboard the hospital calls food, I think I'll go mad."

Reno chuckled and tried to ignore the soft feel of Rufus's lips as they brushed up against his ear. "You know how hard it's going to be to get that stuff past Tseng? I swear he has the nose of a Basest-hound. "

Rufus smiled, recalling all the crazy, outrageous stunts his subordinate had to pull to sneak various things into his room. After a long pause, the older man replied. "Ah, but I know you can do it."

The Turk smiled back, "Yeah, and don't worry, I will too." With a wink Reno sauntered out of his room, eager to start his new '_mission_.'

…

It was a little past seven when Reno finally unlocked his front door and waltzed inside. Normally he would have headed to the bar after work, but he just didn't feel like drinking alone tonight. His day at the hospital had been a stressful but eventful one, and the twenty-five year old was looking forward to cooking up a little something, popping in a movie and spending the rest of his night relaxing.

At the mention of food, Reno thought about that damn cheeseburger and smirked. Like always, Tseng had been being a pain in the ass, so he and Rude had hightailed it over to the new Shinra building and blown up a few of the fax machines. Since Tseng was in charge of things in Rufus's absence, the stoic Turk was forced to leave the hospital, allowing ample time for a fast food delivery to be made. Of course, Rufus didn't look too pleased by the method used, but he did complain either, especially when Reno informed him that there was also a slice of cheesecake in the bag. One of the funniest things about his boss was that the man had a weak spot for cake. Only Reno knew about it though, which sort of made it even funnier –at least to him.

Slipping off his shoes, the Turk resisted the urge to laugh and padded over to the kitchen—only to stop midway. There lying on his couch, fast asleep, was none other then Cloud.

TBC


End file.
